THE IMPACT OF THE NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS: A REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH

Abstract

Interest in the impact of the teacher advanced certification system instituted by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has resulted in a quickly expanding body of literature. This review examines five critical issues covered in the literature: the extent to which National Board certified teachers (NBCTs) engage in stronger instructional practice, are associated with stronger learning gains in their classrooms and schools, benefit from participating in the assessment process, influence the teaching quality of their peers, and are present in schools and classrooms with different characteristics. While most comparisons provide evidence that support the incremental effectiveness of NBCTs, the effects are generally modest. However, all findings must be interpreted with caution, given the limitations of research designs, methods, and tools used to explore teacher effects.